Dunsmuir

Dunsmuir is a small town in northern California, in the shadow of Mt. Shasta. It was known for the purity of it's water. The Southern Pacific Railroad was the driving economic force of town, and had a major facility which employed many local residents.

That was some years ago. The railroad still goes through, and Amtrak stops, but the rails don't have a big presence anymore. It is a crew change point, and still has a small yard and service facility, but otherwise doesn't see much action. The town's business district is quiet, now serving the tourists coming for the recreational opportunities or exiting off the interstate for food, fuel, or lodging.

The town still pays homage to it's rail heritage. This locomotive fuel storage tank honors the SP, and downtown has murals featuring trains of years gone by. There are several semaphore signals setup on Main Street. A few miles south of downtown is a motel where one can stay overnight in a restored caboose.

It is still a nice little town, I always try to stop when passing through.